Summary of 13 March 2024 BOS Meeting
This is my personal summary of the March 13, 2024, meeting of the #NewtownPA Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). This is not a complete nor an official summary.
Access the 2024 BOS Chronicle for detailed summaries of all 2024 BOS meetings plus the BOS voting record (UNOFFICIAL) for 2024.
Agenda Items, Discussions, Decisions, and More
- Reports of Officials
- Other Items of Interest
Engineer’s Report Items
Lower Dolington Road Trail Guardrail Repair & Relocation
The section of guiderail that needs to be relocated is between Everett and Yorkshire. Because of a conflict with the gas utility, the Contractor installed the guiderail within the trail, where it should be further into the roadway.
According to the Township Engineer Dominic Cundai: “We have made many attempts to have the Contractor [Associated Paving] make these repairs immediately. Unfortunately, they are being very non-responsive. Specifically, we sent them a letter on February 12, 2024, with a response required by February 29, 2024. We have yet to hear anything. We can work with Micah and Township staff to see how we can proceed with enforcing this based on our letter.”
QUESTION: I asked this question at the meeting: “Some day – and that day may never come – Associated Paving may submit a low bid on a proposal request for a paving project. In that case, will we have to hire them because they submitted the low bid even though they exhibited an inability to follow plan regarding this project? That's my question!
ANSWER: Probably we would have to hire them despite their refusal to make necessary changes with regard to this project.
Newtown-Yardley Road and Tara Drive Crosswalk Improvements
Latest entry in the 7 March 2024 Engineer’s Report: “Review comments from PennDOT were issued on 1/8/2024 and RVE is currently working to address the comments for resubmission. RVE is actively coordinating with PennDOT to address the comments received and work through the resubmission process.”
On 4 March 2024, Mr. Charles Feuer, representing residents of Newtown Walk, asked the Township Manager several questions regarding this crosswalk project progress or lack thereof via email: Please … and provide the latest update from RVE on:
- Today's status with PENDOT on the permit application/approval for the Project,
- RVE [Township Engineers] response(s) to PENDOT's request since 01/10/2024,
- Design changes to the original RVE application submitted to PENDOT for the Project since 01/10/2024, i.e., street curbing and sidewalk modification.
On 11 March 24, Mr. Feuer emailed RVE, BOS members, Newtown Walk residents, and Newtown Administrators:
RVE provided no mention of any activity and/or progress on the revised plan that PENDOT is waiting for from RVE since January 3, 2024 in order to provide us a permit to go forward to the next step of bidding out the project to begin the construction. This period of time with No Reportable Activity or Progress by RVE is 68 days delay to a safer Pedestrian Crosswalk for Newtown!
Response from the Township Manager: “If you feel it is necessary, may I suggest that you reach out to your state representatives to inquire as to what is causing the delayed response by PennDOT. The Township Engineer will continue to follow up with PennDOT to resolve these open items.”
There was no discussion of this issue at this BOS meeting. However, I felt it was necessary to keep residents informed regarding this project.
Manager’s Report
February 2024 Police Report (NT + Wrightstown)
Highlights
- 2,591 Total Incidents (2023 monthly average: 1,938)
- 1 Auto vs Pedestrian incident (4 total in 2023 vs 7 in 2022)
- 210 Traffic Citations, 4 DUI arrests, 15 reportable traffic crashes (206 total in 2023 vs 45 for all of 2022), 5 hit and run incidents
- 1 Retail Theft, 17 Fraud Incidents (read “Traffic Crashes, Fraud, Thefts Dominate #NewtownPA Jan 19-24, 2024, Weekly Police Report”)
- 270 School Checks (1,572 total for 2023 vs 1,360 in 2022)
Authorization to Purchase 4 New Police Vehicles
The BOS unanimously authorized the purchase 4 new police vehicles and associated upfitting in the combined amount of $250,783.69 (through Costars). The purchase will be paid for from the Capital Fund. The 2024 Budget allocated $255,000 towards police vehicle purchases. The remaining amount will be used for additional equipment from other vendors to complete the project.
Authorization to Purchase License Plate Reader Equipment
The BOS unanimously authorized the purchase of license plate reader (LPR) equipment from PLATELOGIQ (see the proposal).
This PLATELOGIQ solution will provide "advanced capabilities to the Newtown Township Police Department that will both aid in solving crimes and increase the level and degree of traffic enforcement and compliance in the Township." The cost is estimated to be $151,000 and installation will be completed in April, 2024. The $151,000 grant will cover all fees for 5 years. NOTE: In 2022 the Township was awarded a reimbursement grant to offset the cost of the equipment.
The proposed locations of the LPR in Newtown/Wrightstown are:
- NEWTOWN BYPASS AND DURHAM ROAD
- SYCAMORE STREET AND SWAMP ROAD
- DURHAM ROAD AND 2ND STREET PIKE
- NEWTOWN BYPASS AND RICHBORO ROAD
Privacy Issues
Although Chief Hearn states that “LPR identifies vehicles that may have wants and warrants associated with them, detects unregistered vehicles, aids in the recovery of stolen vehicles,” these systems, according to a report by the ACLU, are configured to store the photograph, the license plate number, and the date, time, and location where all vehicles are seen — not just the data of vehicles that generate hits [have wants and warrants on them, for example].
“All of this information is being placed into databases, and is sometimes pooled into regional sharing systems. As a result, enormous databases of motorists’ location information are being created. All too frequently, these data are retained permanently and shared widely with few or no restrictions on how they can be used.”
According to Chief Hearn, license plate images will be retained for 30 days. "If it doesn't hit, it disappears in 30 days. If I get a hit on your license plate as unregistered, it will stay in there for 60 days. If there's a criminal investigation on the license plate we're going to keep it indefinitely until the case is closed."
My Detailed Notes
The following notes were prepared prior to the meeting. View the notes embedded below or download the pdf document.
Official Video
Transcript
Download the unedited time-stamped transcript of this meeting prepared by Youtube from the video: download PDF document.
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